Wheel.



G. L. BOURQUIN.

WHEEL.

APPLICATION PI1.BDr.IAR,11,1o11.

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

y the line L -a, Fig. l; Fig. 3, is a perspective UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

GUSTAVE LOUIS BOURQUIN, 0F SELLERSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB OFONE-HALF T0 RUDOLF LOEB, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY. I

WHEEL.

Application illed March 11,

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GUSTAVE Louis BOUR- QUIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Sellersville, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain Improvements in Wheels, of which the following is a.specification.

My invention relates to wheels; and the object of my invention is toprovide a wheel suitable for use with automobiles and auto trucks thatwill have sufficient resiliency and yet avoidthe danger of puncturecommon with pneumatic tired Wheels. These and other features of myinvention will be more fully pointed out hereinafter, reference bein hadto the accompanying drawings, inv whic:

Figure 1, is a view in elevation, partly broken away,l showing a wheelembodying my invention; Fig. 2, is a sect-ional view on view of one ofthe springs which I may emplo Fig. 4, is a perspective view of a modispring "arrangement embodying my invention, and Figs. 5 and 6, are views1llustrating modified details within the scope of my invention.

In the wheel structure embodying my invention as shown in the drawings,I provide .a central element, which is substantially a wheel, comprisinga hub l with a web 2 radiating therefrom and forming substantially whatmay be termed spokes; such web carrying a rim 3. In the presentinstance, this rim is provided with grooves or recesses 4 in its outerface for the reception of springs 5. In one embodiment of my inventionthese springs are of a somewhat peculiar shape, shown more clearly inthe perspective view, Fig. 3, and comprise a lower, substantiallsemi-circular portion 6, with curved leaves and 8 extending upwardlytherefrom; the leaves 7 being in pairs while the leaves 8 are single andare disposed on the opposite side of the portions 6. In lieu of the useof springs of this character I may employ other forms of springs and inFig. 4, I have showna plurality 0I single springs, set alternately inpairs and singly 1n the grooves or recesses 4 of the rim 3. Thefreerends of the springs bear against an annular wearplate 9 carried byan outer rim or felly 10, which is preferably of wood. This wearplatemaybe loose or secured to the wooden Specification of Letters Patent.

felly or rim.

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

1911. Serial No. 613,691.

are inclosed by a metallic shell 11 made in half sections, as shown; theouter flanged part of the same forming the tread of the wheel andoverlying the wooden rim, and such shell may be secured to the woodenrim by screws 12. The shell structure is additionally secured togetherand to the wheel by means of bolts 15 and nuts 16; said bolts passingthrough apertures 17 in the web 2 whereby suilicient space is affordedto accommodate the various positionsV said'bolts will assume during useof the wheel. To prevent crushing the shell at the points where thebolts are employed, I preferably surround the latter with sleeves 18;the ends of which sleeves engage the Vinner Walls of the shell sections.

It is desirable to introduce oil into the spring chamber to reduce asmuch as possible the friction between the springs and t-he metalportions upon which they bear, and for this purpose I ma provide the rim3 of the wheel with annu ar grooves 19 on both sides of the same andshort grooves 20 leading from said annular grooves to the spring pocketsor the surface of the rim 3. An a rture 21 may be formed in said rim,close by a plug 22; such aperture meeting a cross-bore 23 communicatingwith both of the annular grooves 19, as more clearly shown in Fig. 5. Bythis arrangement, oil or other lubricant in any desired quantity may beintroduced into the spring chamber as desired, and such oil will be heldby the side Walls of the shell forming the spring chamber againstescape.

The metal shell forms the tread of the wheel, and is preferablysubstantially flat, as indicated, and of considerable width. I may,however, provide the tread of the wheel with a tire of rubber or similarmaterial, and to this end the tread of the shell may be struck up atpoints to form ears 25 to engage a tire as 26,as shown in Fig. 5; oralurality of tires, as shown in Fig. 6, bolts 2l) preferably passingthrough said ears and tire as indicated. This tire or tires may be ofsolid rubber or suitable equivalent material.

I claim:

1. The combination, in a wheel, of a central member comprising a hub, afelly and a suitable web integrally connecting the hub and felly, saidfelly having seats formed in its outer surface paralleling the axis ofsaid The springs and wooden rim ofthe Wheel f portion, an

hub, an outer riln of wood, a plurality of independent and substantiallyunconlined springs substantially U-shaped in contour adapted to theseats in said telly, said springs having flaring ends disposed towardsaid'outer rim and interposed between the same and the telly of thecentral portion, a Wear plate carried by the Outer rim in engagementwith said free ends of the springs, shells inclosing said outer rim andLthe springs, means for securing said shells' to said outer rim, andbolts passing through the central member for securing said shellstogether, the web of said central member having enlarged openings Jforthe passage of the bolts, such arrangement providing for limitedmovement between said shells and the central member.

2. The combination, in a wheel, of a eentral member comprising a hub, a:telly and a suitable web connecting the hub and telly, said tellyhaving seats formed in its outer surfacel paralleling the axis of saidhub, an outer rim ot' wood, a plurality ot substantially U-shapedsprings adapted to said seats, said springs having laring free endsdisposed toward said outer rim and interposed between the same and thetelly of the central annular Wear plate carried by the outer rim inengagement with said free ends of the springs, shells inclosing saidouter rim and the springs, means for securing said shells to said outerrim, bolts passing through the central member for securing said shellstogether, the Web of said central member having enlarged openings forthe passage of the bolts, such arrangement providing for limitedmovement between said shells and the central member, means forintroducing a lubricant to fthe spring seats formed in the rim of thetelly, the latter having annular oil grooves on both sides of the sameand passages communicating be tween said oil grooves and the seats forthe springs, and means for introducing oil into said grooves, the shellsin substantial contact with the telly forming the outer Walls of saidgrooves and being also lubricated in their movement during use of theWheel.

The combination, in a wheel, of a central member having a hub, a telly,a suitable web integrally connecting the hub and telly, said tellyhaving seats formed on its outer surtace parallel with the axis of thehub, an outer rim ot wood, a plurality of substantially U-shapedsprings/having free outer ends flaring from'their centrally connectedportion interposed between the outer rim and said telly, the connectingportions of said springs being curved and resting in the seats ot saidfelly, a sectional shell inclosing said outer rim and the springs, boltspassing through the central member for securing sections ot the shelltogether, said central member having enlarged apertures for the passageof said bolts, such arrangement permitting movement of the shell withrespect to the central portion, the telly of said central portion havingannular oil grooves on both sides of the same and channels leading fromsaid grooves to the seats or the springs, formed in said rim for theintroduction of oil, an annular wear plate carried by the buter rim :torengagement with the outwardly flaring ends of the springs, and means forremovably securing said shell to the outer rim.

.ln testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

Gusravn Lotus BoURQUiN.

Witnesses z MURRAY C. BOYER, WM. A. BARR.

a normally closed inlet passage-

